A soprano is the highest singing voice, usually sung by women or boys. It can also refer to a person who sings in that range.
From Italian *soprano* meaning “above, upper,” from Latin *supra* “above.” It literally labels the top part in a piece of music.
In choral music, soprano lines often carry the main melody, so the “highest” voice is also the most noticeable. The word quietly encodes a map of the choir: soprano above, bass below.
“Soprano” has been associated primarily with women and girls in classical singing, and earlier with castrati, reflecting gendered and bodily norms in vocal music. Men singing in soprano ranges (e.g., countertenors) have sometimes been marginalized or treated as novelties.
Use “soprano” for a vocal range, not as a synonym for “woman singer”; recognize that people of various genders may sing soprano.
["high voice","treble voice"]
Acknowledge how women sopranos have shaped operatic and choral traditions while also facing typecasting and limited roles.
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